


Is This What Love Feels Like? (Zarlie)

by username_in_drafts



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: F/F, Love Triangle, but not really, just zari discovering she's everything but straight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:06:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 10,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23981287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/username_in_drafts/pseuds/username_in_drafts
Summary: After saving her brother, Behrad, Zari is thinking about John and Nate. Does she like John? Or Nate? Or both? Or neither?But then, when she's around Charlie she's just what you would call a gay mess. But she is straight, right? It's just Charlie that gets under her skin and makes her feel...What she has never felt for anyone.
Relationships: Charlie/Nate Heywood/Zari Tomaz | Zari Tarazi, Charlie/Zari Tomaz | Zari Tarazi, John Constantine/Zari Tomaz | Zari Tarazi, Nate Heywood/Zari Tomaz | Zari Tarazi, Sara Lance/Ava Sharpe
Comments: 2
Kudos: 64





	1. Late Night Snack - The Start

**Author's Note:**

> Henlo frens! This is my first time writing fanfic soo... It's not going to be good but I'm trying. If you could leave some advice or review to help me improve my writing I'd appreciate it.
> 
> This is written after 5x09 where they hinted the Nate/John/Zari love triangle, but in my version, there's Charlie too to mess things up. I'm pretty sure that in the next episodes, everything will change and my story won't have sense anymore. But if it hasn't destroyed me completely, I intend to keep writing this.
> 
> Hope you like it (If someone ever reads this)  
> 

After getting Behrad back with the Loom of Fate, Zari can finally rest in peace. Or at least that’s what she believed. But now there’s another thought that keeps her up at night.

Before, she was so focused on bringing her brother back and she didn’t care about anything else, but now that he’s safe and alive, a memory is haunting her.

She almost kissed Constantine. They had a moment where they were standing very close after killing the last encore to get the third ring and, thanks to god, Nate and Ava entered the house at that moment.

She’s sure that she doesn’t have feelings for him, she barely knows the guy, but fear mixed with adrenaline plus that rush/happiness after using Behrad’s totem…

Could make her even want to kiss a lamp. But what if Ava and Nate hadn’t come in? Would they have kissed? I mean, they already kissed once, when they played Romeo and Juliet, but that kiss was different. That was acting. And, to be honest, the kiss… it wasn’t good, but it wasn’t bad either.

And then, there is Nate. Things with Nate…are… complicated. She knows that the other Zari loved him, but does _she_ love him? She has never thought of him like that. But then again, she doesn’t know these people very well yet. He does feel a connection, and she feels that closeness too, but she can’t figure out if that “connection” is love or just friendship.

After rumbling with these thoughts, she decides to make herself a midnight snack: her famous herbal tea with chamomile mixed with lavender, among other things.

She doesn’t enjoy the flavour, but she can’t skip her diet.She picks up the cup and when she’s about to sit in the table, she sees a big plate with donuts. So colourful and sweet and tasty and…

“ _Oh, I wasn’t expecting anyone to be up this late_ ” Charlie enters the dining room.

Zari, after being mesmerized by the donuts, looks at Charlie. She was wearing a simple sweatshirt and baggy black pants. Not her usual look, but still, she looked as flawless as always.

“ _I’m just here to make my famous tea to go to sleep, it also helps to make your skin look brighter and reduces 10% stress and anxiety. Do you want to try it?_ ” Says Zari offering her tea to Charlie with a big smile.

“ _Sure_ ” She takes Zari’s cup. “ _Ew, It looks like swamp water mixed with chunks of vomit. Z, I can’t drink this!_ ” The shapeshifter says looking disgusted.

“ _Oh my god, Charlie. They are bean sprouts mixed with egg yolk. They’re supposed to give a special touch to the tea_ ” Says Zari grabbing Charlie’s cup. “ _Some people just can’t appreciate high-quality tea_ ” And she sits in the table.

“ _Whatever, Z_ ” Charlie grabs a beer from the fridge and goes to sit in the table as well. “ _Why do you need it anyway?_ ”

“ _Because apparently, my brain has decided that today, was going to be ‘that bitch’ and doesn’t want to sleep_ ”

“ _Well, tell that sneaky brain of yours that better behave cause you, being cranky in the morning, is something I do not want to see_ ” Says Charlie funnily.

“ _What’s that supposed to mean?_ ” Says Zari a little bit offended.

“ _Ya know, when you haven’t slept you’re usually… how do I put this…_ ” says Charlie with a thinking funny face “ _Y_ _ou’re insufferable, but don’t take this the wrong way, hun_ ”.

“ _How can I not take— you know what? I don’t care_ ” She sips her tea looking away. Charlie always makes her lose her nerves. She’s so bold and goofy and…Agh!

“ _Soorry. C’mon, tell me what’s wrong_ ” Charlie tries to meet Zari’s eyes.

“ _Nah, It doesn’t matter. It’s stupid._ ” And then Z looks at Charlie. She was also looking at her and at that moment her heart starts racing. Why is this happening? She asks herself.

“ _Let me guess, boy problems?_ ”

“ _What? No, of course not. I would never be crying over a boy. I’m not a moron_ ” But she knows she’s lying and Charlie knows that as well.

“ _Nate and John eh? Easy: sleep with both. That can never hurt_ ”

“ _Ew Charlie! I’m not going to sleep with anyone. And…I don’t even know if I like any of them_ ” Zari is starting to get uncomfortable. She wasn’t ready to talk about it, and she wasn’t going to talk about it with Charlie. Her heart was accelerating more and more.

“ _Better yet! Sex without feelings is the best. No strings attached. One night of passion and then everyone can move on with their lives!_ ” Says Charlie amused and punches Zari in the shoulder. Oh my god, is she starting to blush? She feels the heat rising in her face and looks away to hide it and try to control it.

“ _Okay, can we just change the subject? I don’t want to talk about it, and especially not with you_ ”

“ _Sure luv. Even though some people say that I give the best advice in the world! After all, I’m an immortal god who has lived hundreds of years_ ” Says Charlie leaning towards Zari and winks at her.

“ _Well, your advice kinda sucks. I think I’ll survive better without it._ ” Says smiling “ _But thank you, almighty God, for your wisdom_ ” And teases her a little bit.

Charlie raises her eyebrows “ _You’re welcome m’ lady_ ” She says teasing her back “ _Sleep well_ ” Then she grabs her beer and leaves.

Zari sighs. She can finally relax. She doesn’t know why Charlie makes her act or feel like that. She gets tense around her, her breathing changes and when Charlie leans into her (which she does a lot) she gets all nervous and her heartbeat quickens and strengthens.

And then, there’s the teasing. That doesn’t help either. She tries to act naturally and tease her back, but it takes a lot to happen. It’s not like she lacks the social skills to think smart comebacks. After all, she’s built an empire at a very young age using her wit and amazing social skills.

But when she’s around her, it’s like everything she has gained over the years is worthless, she doesn't know how to function properly. She has never felt like that before. Is this what love feels like? Impossible. She doesn’t like women. Even though, technically, Charlie isn’t a woman or a man.

It doesn’t matter. Zari is convinced that she doesn’t like Charlie. She just gets under her skin, that’s all. That doesn’t mean she likes her, right? Right? 


	2. A Mission Together? - Here Comes Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nate asks Zari to go on a mission together, but she doesn't want to.  
> Charlie steps in and saves her from the situation.
> 
> Is she ready to be alone with Charlie in a mission?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's part 2 😊  
> Kudos!

The next morning, Gideon wakes Zari up. She barely slept last night so she tries to ignore the message.

“ _Ms Tarazi, Ava Sharpe is requesting your presence for a team meeting in 30 minutes. You have to get up now. I will not repeat it again_ ”

“ _Ugh, fine_ ”

She finds the strength to get up and get dressed. After almost half an hour of indecisiveness, she chooses a white simple shirt and deconstructed green trousers with black heels. (Very cute outfit) She puts some makeup on (nothing very extravagant, something simple and natural) and puts her earrings, necklace and bracelets on.

“ _Hi, guys_ ” Zari says appearing 10 minutes late but as fabulous as always. Everyone follows her with their eyes as she comes closer.

“ _Zari, next time try to be more punctual. We’ve been waiting for you for 10 minutes_ ” Says Ava.

“ _Okay, but do you know how long it takes to get this_ ” Zari points to her outfit and makeup “ _ready? You can’t rush perfection, Ava_ ”

Ava sighs “ _Just try to do better next time, alright?_ ”

Zari nods.

“ _I’ve called this meeting to talk about Sara. Her condition is not getting better. John and I have been investigating and there’s a spell that we could try to wake her up but we need a few ingredients to make it. We’ll split into 3 teams to get the missing ingredients as fast a possible. Agreed?_ ”

“ _Sounds good, boss_ ” Says Charlie and Mick grunts in the background agreeing to Ava’s plan and rising his beer.

“ _Great,_ ” Says Nate “ _since Behrad’s still resting from his resurrection, I thought I could go with Zari to get one of the ingredients_ ” Suggests Nate looking at Z smiling.

“ _Sure, if Zari agrees we have one team done and two to go_ ” Says Ava looking at Zari.

She and Nate, alone, in a mission, without anyone else? Can she say no? It doesn’t feel like she can say no.

“ _What do you say Zari, Team SteelHacker?_ ” Says Nate getting close to her offering his hand.

“ Huhmm _… I…—_ ” Zari babbles and takes two steps back without knowing what to say.

Actually, she does know what to say. But that would mean explaining the refusal and she’s not doing that so she’ll have to—

“ _Hey Zari! I thought we agreed that the next mission was going to be our girl-shapeshifter bonding adventure. Are you cancelling on me?_ ” Says Charlie getting closer to her pretending to be offended. She looks so cute right now.

Zari looks at Charlie surprised. They didn’t talk about anything Charlie said but she decides to just go with it.

“ _Oh yeah, that. I totally forgot. Sorry Nate_ ”

Where did that come from? Did Charlie just save her from spending a large (and awkward) amount of time with Nate?

Now that the tension has passed, she tries to relax again. But now she gets nervous. Not the fear-nervous kind, it’s more like the nervous-exciting one. “It’s okay Zari, you’re going on a mission with Charlie, it’s okay” She repeats in her head. But still, she can’t calm herself. “What is happening? I said calm yourself, get your act together girl” She internally starts to bicker with herself.

“ _Okay, that’s all for now. Ideally, in an hour every team should leave the ship to retrieve the ingredients and come back ASAP_ ” Says Ava.

What? Oh God, she hasn’t listened to anything Ava said about the mission. She was so occupied thinking about—

“ _Don’t worry Cap, we got it_ ” Says Charlie putting her arm around her. “ _Right Z?_ ”

Zari’s heartbeat intensifies and notices how her cheeks heat up with Charlie’s touch.

“ _Yep, you have nothing to worry about_ ” She responds nervously with a shy smile.

And everyone leaves the room to prepare for their mission.


	3. Before We Go - A Little Flirting Never Hurt Anyone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zari's in her room preparing for the mission and Charlie comes in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IDK if I'll be able to keep posting one chapter a day, but for now, here you have the 3rd one! 🤩

Zari is in her room, tidying it up a little bit since she didn’t have time when she woke up.Maybe she should have chosen Nate instead of Charlie to go on the mission. If Nate and Zari were going to be alone, she’d only have to worry about not being in any kind of romantic setting so Nate wouldn’t try to kiss her or make a move of any kind. She can feel that he wants to, but the thought of kissing Nate kind of disgusts her.

But the way she feels towards Charlie is different. Worse. It’s like her body doesn’t respond to her brain anymore. Every touch and every look and every joke that Charlie does to her, makes her feel…

*Knock knock*

“ _Hey, I already made us the costumes for 1720 and I got a few snacks packed too_ ” Says Charlie coming in Zari’s room.

“ _Oh great. Let me just put away these clothes and we can leave_ ” Says Zari without even looking at her.

“ _Wow, not even a ‘thank you, Charlie, for saving my ass when Nate asked me on a mission date’_ " Says Charlie trying to imitate Zari’s voice. “ _I thought more of you_ ” She makes a fake-disappointed face.

“ _You know you didn’t need to do that, right? I was fine without your offer_ ” Says Zari turning at her and crossing her arms. She feels her skin of fire.

“ _Weird, that’s not the story your face showed when he proposed his plan_ ” Said Charlie coming closer to Zari. “ _And even if I were wrong on this, which I’m not, you still agreed to team up with me._ ” Charlie’s face was getting closer to Zari’s. “ _So you’re welcome hun_ ” And Charlie smiles. Zari can feel every cell of her body shaking but she doesn’t show it.

“ _Thank you, Charlie, for saving my ass when Nate asked me on a mission date. Happy?_ ” And smiles back at her forcibly. She is incredibly close to Charlie. She can even feel her breathing but she can’t back down now, she can’t let her win, she’s too proud for that.

“ _Very much so_ ” Says Charlie proudly stepping back. “ _I’ll be in the bridge, don’t keep me waiting for too long_ ” She winks at her and after leaves the room.

Zari sighs while she observes her walking away. She hadn’t even realized she was holding her breath.She finishes tidying up the room, puts the clothes Gideon has made for Zari and leaves to meet with Charlie.

“ _Nice. The 1870s feel good on you Z_ ” Says Charlie when she sees Zari.

“ _I know, I’m loving this type of fabric. It makes my skin look so much better._ ” She touches her dress and turns around to see it move. " _Oh my God, I just had a brilliant idea for my new clothing line!_ ” Says Zari very excited.

“ _Why don’t ya leave your little entrepreneur mind rest for a little bit, eh? And let’s get the Skamex blood as soon as possible_ ”

Skamex blood? Zari has no idea of what a ‘ Skamex ’ is but she doesn’t have time to ask, Charlie has already opened the portal to 1875 with the time courier and is slightly pressing Zari back to make her walk towards it.

“ _Let’s go_ ”


	4. Walking - Mayfolk Is Coming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zari and Charlie leave the Waverider and they are going to Mayfolk. It's basically a little bonding scene 😉

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I wasn't going to continue writing this "story" after watching last night's episode, but here we are. The LoT writers may not give us Zarlie, but I will give it to myself 😂

Now that they have crossed the portal, they find themselves close to a little town called Mayfolk in the UK. Charlie starts walking with confidence towards the town, but before she can give one more step, Zari grabs her arm to stop her.

“ _Hey, uhm…where exactly are we going_? ”

“ _We need to go to the little shop there in Mayfolk and get the Skamex blood for John_ ” Charlie says with bewilderment.

“ _Oh cool, and another question: what is a Skamex and how are we going to get its blood?_ ”

Charlie looks at Zari surprised “ _Someone wasn’t listening to today’s meeting, eh? Didn’t sleep last night?_ ” Charlie suggests. “ _Waaaiiit, did you take my advice and banged Nate and John yesterday?_ “

“ _WHAT NO! What the hell Charlie?_ ”

“ _Hahaha, I’m joking, I know you don’t have it in you, Z_ ” Says Charlie laughing. “ _But the joke was totally worth it, you should have seen your face!_ “ She continues laughing.

Zari can’t stop herself from smiling even though she tries to hide it. Seeing Charlie happy and laughing is the best feeling she’s ever had.

“ _Have you finished laughing yet? Cause we have a mission to do._ ”

“ _Nope, not yet_ ” She laughs a little bit more. “ _Okay, now I’m done_ ”

“ _ha, ha, ha_ ” Zari laughs ironically.

“ _The Skamex is a creature from the sea, it has 4 tentacles covered by scales, it’s more or less the same size as a dolphin I think._ ” Charlie says pensively.

“ _And how are we going to get its blood? Please don’t tell me we’ll have to go sailing cause I refuse to get this dress dirty and I didn’t bring any more clothes_ ”

“ _Don’t worry Luv, the blood is already in a bottle. We just need to pick it up in that shop, you won’t even tousle your hair_ ”

“ _Perfect, let’s go_ ” And they start walking towards the town.

“ _You know? I met a Skamex once. His name was James. He was a goofy little bastard._ ” Says Charlie.

“ How did you two meet? Oh my God were you a pirate before?” Says Zari while walking.

“ _Nah, I wish. I met him in prison. He was one of my closest friends_ ”

“ _You have been in prison? When?_ ” Asks Zari intrigued.

“ _Before I joined the Legends. When they freed Mallus all these magical creatures escaped and I, with them. After, the team caught me but instead of sending me to hell, they decided to keep me and then I became part of the team._ ”

Zari was shocked. “ _huh, I didn’t know that_ ”

“ _How could you? You joined the Legends a few weeks ago._ ”

“ _Yeah, but I could have tried to talk to you more, like real talk. We’ve never really done that_ “

“ _Well, I guess we’re doing it now, aren’t we?_ ” Says Charlie without losing sight of the road.

Zari looks at Charlie and smiles at her. “ _Yep, I guess we are_ ”

They continue talking and walking for 10 more minutes until they arrive at Mayfolk.


	5. The Bet - The Game Is On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie and Zari make a bet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is VERY short, but I wanted to separate the moment they make the bet and the moment they win/lose. 
> 
> Kudos! ❤️

“ _Uh, Mayfolk is nicer than I imagined_ ” Says Charlie pretty impressed looking at the buildings and surroundings.“ _Oh my God, Z look at that cake! ”_ Says Charlie very impressed while looking at the bakery stand.

“ _Wow, it looks amazing, all those colours and that frosting and…_ ” Zari says with desire. “ _No, you can’t, you're on a low-carbs strict diet. You can’t skip it Zari._ ” She says to herself (even though she says it out loud).

“ _Oh, c’mon Z, for one day it won’t happen anything!_ ” Then she turns around and looks at Zari “ _Plus, you look fine to me, I don’t understand why you need to follow that bloody diet_ ”

Zari starts blushing. Did Charlie just say that she was hot?

“ _I appreciate the compliment but I really shouldn’t. I have to keep my body healthy and away from all these evil pastries._ ” She says while she looks away from the bakery.

“ _You know, it’s good to do bad things once in a while. It keeps you sharp_ ” Says Charlie. “ _And it makes life more exciting_ ” Says Charlie leaning towards Zari. “ _I’ll make you a bet: if I get the blood first, we’ll eat the cake and if you get it first I’ll…uhm…_ ”.

“ _You’ll let me give you a makeover!_ ” Says Zari excited.

“ _What? NO WAY I’m letting you touch my hair. You’ll probably dress me up like a barbie, or something_ ”

“ _You’re totally right. You’ll be so pretty. The Z-Style is going to look amazing on you ”_ She’s the one now teasing Charlie and she’s enjoying it, a lot. “ _But I understand if you don’t want to do this, it’s not the first time I’ve intimidated one of my rivals making them run away like little cowards_ ” Zari says with challenging eyes which makes Charlie bite her lower lip.

“ _Oh really?_ ” Says Charlie raising her right eyebrow “ _Game on_ ”.


	6. The Winner And The Loser - Let's Get It!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to get the Skamex blood. Who will win the bet?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so exited for the next chapters. They are going to be great 😂 😈

They both look out the window. The store clerk is a 70-year-old man with white hair and glasses.

After analysing the situation, they get ready to carry out their strategies. Charlie plans to distract that man and steal the bottle of blood whereas Zari is going to ‘influence’ him to give her the bottle.

Charlie is ready to go in, but before, she decides to shapeshift into a 40-year-old man very well suited and then she enters the shop. They start talking very quickly and the conversation is fluid. In less than 10 minutes, they find themselves laughing, and sharing anecdotes.

Behind the shop assistant, Charlie sees the bottle tagged as ' Wolf-hunting Water: The Ultimate Cologne To Hunt Wolves'. To get it, she decides to ask for something that she’s sure he’ll have to check in the storage. When he’s gone, she tries to reach for that bottle but the man comes back sooner than expected and catches her and kicks her out.

“ _Well done Charlie, you almost got hit by a 70-year-old man with his walking stick!_ ” Zari congratulates her with irony and starts laughing.

“ _Shut up._ ” Charlie is upset. “ _He’s incredibly agile for an old man_ ” She tries to justify herself but she only makes Zari laugh more.

Now that Charlie’s out, it’s Zari’s turn.

“ _My turn, watch and learn_ ”

Zari enters the empty shop and rapidly, he notices her and goes to help her. They start talking and in 5 minutes Zari is already leaving the shop.

“ _I guess you’re not as good influencer as you thought._ ” Says Charlie looking at Zari’s empty hands. “ _Who’s laughing now, eh?_ ” And Charlie smiles.

Zari smiles her back and after she takes out a little bottle from her purse. “ I am “ And she gives the bottle to Charlie.

“ _What? I’ve been watching you the whole time and there wasn’t any moment where he could’ve handed it to you ”_ Charlie was surprised and confused.

“ _Well, he didn’t want to give it for free in plain sight… so we had to be discreet_ ” Now is Zari who gets closer to Charlie “ _Tell me, how do you feel about glitter and fringe?_ ”

Charlie bites her lip. “ _Bloody hell_ ” And looks at her with fake hatred.

They come back to the ship and Zari has a big smile on her face. She’s so proud and she can’t wait to give Charlie the makeover. She has so many ideas in her head.

When they come back to the ship everyone has just arrived too and they give the ingredients to John.

“ _How did it go?_ ” Ava asks.

“ _It went perfectly, a full success_ ” Says Zari and looks at Charlie. She was still upset.

“ _I’m going to get a drink_ ” Charlie says and leaves.

“ _Don’t go too far!_ ” Zari says raising her voice so Charlie can hear her and after she grunts.

“ _What happened to her?_ ” John asks.

“ _She lost a bet_ ” And Zari leaves too and goes to her room to grab her portfolio to pick the outfit that she’s going to put Charlie in.


	7. Book Excuse - Jealousy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John asks for Zari's help just to spend time with her. But then, Nate appears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, there's a little bit of John's perspective. 
> 
> Sorry, not a Zarlie scene here.

Zari’s looking through the portfolio of her clothing designs and since Gideon can make any clothes she tells her to, she can go as crazy as she wants.

Then she hears a knock on her door, even though it was already open.

“ _Hey_ , ” She’s still looking at her portfolio “ _I’m still trying to decide what you’ll wear. I’m thinking some vivid colours like a bold green or blue with a smash of glitter. What do you think?_ ” She looks up and sees that it’s not Charlie who has knocked on her door. “ _Oh, hi John_ ”

“ _Hi, Luv. Nice designs you’ve got there._ ” Says Constantine making Zari smile. “ _Gary got me the book to do the spell but that dummy grabbed one in Arabic and I obviously can’t read it. Would you mind deciphering it for me? I just don’t want to bother Behrad since he’s still recovering._ ”

“ _Oh, okay. But I’m pretty sure I just saw Behrad playing his video games in my way here._ ”

Constantine stays silent for a bit. “ _Oh, I’ll just get Behrad then_ ” And he intends to leave.

“ _Oh no, it’s okay I’ll help you. I’m much better in Arabic than him anyway so…_ ”

Zari stands up, leaves her portfolio on her nightstand and follows John to the library. He was craving for some moments alone with Zari since their mission together. He feels attracted to her (I mean, who wouldn’t?) but he hasn’t developed any deeper feelings yet. He’s just curious where this thing between them could lead.

When they arrive there, they find Nate too.

“ _Hi, guys! I thought I could help you with that heavy book reading since I speak Arabic too._ ”

“ _Nate! You are here… That is unexpected_ ” John wasn’t happy about this. “ _I appreciate your help but I think we got this mate_ ” And he smiles forcibly.

John knew that Nate loved Zari in the other timeline and he also knew that he has a crush on her in this timeline so that made him a little bit uncomfortable and insecure. He knows he’s got game and he’s good at flirting but that situation worries him a little.

“ _What do you think Zari? Could you use an extra set of eyes?_ ” Asks Nate hoping she wouldn’t make him leave.

“ _Sure,_ ” Says Zari “ _Where’s the book, John?_ ”

“ _Here_ ” Constantine hands her the book and Nate gets close to Zari to read it too. That is exactly what he didn’t want to happen.

“ _Mmm… okay, so the book says you have to say these words_ ” Zari writes in a piece of paper the exact words he needed to say. And then she starts reading and translating “ _But before you have to drink the two bottles of blood and eat a rabbit nail? EW_ ” Zari is disgusted by that thought, as well as Nate.

“ _Your job is disgusting, John_ ” Says Nate.

“ _Meh_ ” Says John tilting his head a little bit to the side.

“ _Well, I couldn’t do it in a million years_ “ Says Zari with still a disgusted face “ _Do you need anything else or…?_ ”

John thinks for an excuse to make Zari stay and make Nate leave, but he can’t think of anything.

“ _Nope, everything’s fine._ ” Bloody hell, he wasted his chance.

“ _Great_ ” And Zari leaves the library.


	8. The Date - The Drama

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nate asks Zari on a "date" and she accepts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know,  
> you didn't come here to read some Natari/Steelhacker fanfic, but I'm a sucker for the drama and the angst. I had to do this. Don't worry, the next chapters will be full Zarlie.
> 
> (please don't hate me too much❤️)

“ _Hey Zari, wait up!_ ” Zari turns around. “ _Do you want to grab a bite or something? We could ask Gideon to make us those vegan quiches you like_ ”

Nate is asking Zari out _again_?

“ _I’d love to but I kinda have to…_ ” She excuses herself, but at the same time, she feels bad for refusing to spend time with him again. “ _You know what? Yes, sure, let’s… let’s do this_ ”

She can spend an hour with Nate alone without freaking out, right?

“ _Awesome_ ” Nate is surprised by that response. He thought she was going to turn him down again.

They go to the dining room which happens to be empty and Nate quickly asks Gideon for those quiches.

During all the “date” Zari tries to keep it all super-friendly and she discovers that it’s quite nice having Nate around. She feels understood and comfortable. She doesn’t feel that ‘fire’ when she’s with him. He doesn’t make her feel like every skin cell of her body is shaking when they accidentally touch.He doesn’t make her feel those tickles in her belly when he looks at her. He’s just what Zari is used to feel for a man. Before, that’s what she thought love felt like.

“ _Well, this was fun,_ ” Says Zari “ _but I really should get back to my room cause I’m a little bit tired after the mission and I have things to do too_ ”

“ _Eh, sure, I’ll walk you to your room_ ” He didn’t want this date to end but he couldn’t force her to stay with him either.

They leave the dining room and in two minutes they arrive at Zari’s room.

“ _And we are here_ ” Says Nate not ready to say goodbye.

“ _Yeah, it’s a short walk. You didn’t have to come with me._ ” Says Zari starting to get uncomfortable. “ _Well, see you later_ ” She smiles at him and enters the room but then Nate grabs her arm, turns her around and kisses her.

She should’ve seen this coming. While they kiss, Zari has her eyes open and sees Charlie walking down the hallway. When she sees them and she turns around immediately and leaves the same way she came. Zari pushes Nate away as soon as she can, but it’s too late, Charlie had already left.

“ _Nate, I’m sorry I just… I can’t do this right now, I…I have to go_ ” And Zari leaves Nate to look for Charlie.


	9. The Other - Changing The Point Of View

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now we see Charlie's POV since they came back from the mission til she sees Nate and Zari kissing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here's Chapter 9!   
> Let's continue with the drama.   
> Probably Charlie looks OOC but I'm trying my best. 🙃
> 
> PD: I'm having so much fun writing this. I didn't even know it could be that great to write fanfics. I still suck, but I'm really trying. ❤️

**Charlie’s POV**

After getting that drink after the mission, Charlie decides to go to her room to listen to some music. She puts her headphones on and lies in her bed. She thinks about Zari and smiles. She remembers the first time she saw her. She was so beautiful. But now, apart from her looks, she knows that she’s so much more than that. She’s so smart, witty, funny, caring…

And she loves teasing her. At first, it was just her way to interact with her. There was a little bit of flirting too, but that was it. It was kind of like a joke. It was for fun.

But now, it’s not. Zari isn’t just a silly crush anymore, she’s sure she likes her. She cares for her, even though she hides it pretty well and sometimes it doesn’t look like it. But she does.

The other night, when she found her in the dining room and they had that conversation about Nate and John, her heart ached. Even though Zari said she was confused and didn’t know how she felt, the thought of her thinking about Nate and John in that way, hurt her. She didn’t want her to date either of them. She wanted Zari only for herself. Charlie knew that thought was very selfish, but that’s just the way she felt.

Then, when Nate proposed that mission-date to Zari and she made that face of “Please God, get me out of here” she couldn’t help but intervene. And thank God she chose her to go on that mission. She could’ve said the truth and be like “What the hell are you talking about Charlie?” or something. But she didn’t. She went with _her_ , not Nate. She chose _her_ , not Nate.

And then, there is the bet. Even though she lost, she’s happy that Zari won. She’s a little bit scared for the makeover though. But she doesn’t care. All she thinks about is being with her.

After being a few hours in her room, Charlie gets snacky. On her way to the kitchen, she decides to walk pass Zari’s room to check if she has already chosen her outfit. As she walks down the hallway, she sees Nate and Zari. He grabs her arm, turns her around and kisses her.

Charlie opens her mouth shocked, but there’s no sound coming out. Her heart breaks into a million pieces, her breathing stops and she feels tears coming out of her eyes. She has to get out of there.

When she arrives at her room she can’t stop thinking about what she just witnessed. She can’t believe it. Now she knows how Zari truly feels about Nate. She lays in the bed again and looks at the ceiling. She feels so stupid right now.

Did she really think someone like Zari could be into someone like her? Stupid, stupid, stupid. That’s what happens when she gets close to someone. She always ends up hurt. How hasn’t she seen this coming? It was so obvious. Of course, Zari likes Nate, he’s all charming, sweet and fun.

She can’t stay in her room, she needs to do something. She needs to get that memory out of her head and think about something else so she decides to go and get the time-jump and leave the Waverider for a few hours. It’s not the first time that she’s done that, so the team won’t worry about her too much.

As soon as she opens the door, she sees Zari in front of her, about to knock on it.


	10. Let's Not Talk About It, Please? - The Awkwardness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Charlie opens the door, Zari is there to talk about what she saw. Charlie changes the subject as soon as she feels she's about to talk about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 10! The drama!
> 
> I actually was going to unite Chapter 10 + 11 because I didn't want to split the "scene" but it was way too long. 
> 
> Anyways, get ready for chapter 11! It's a good one (or that's what I like to think hehe) ❤️

“ _Oh, hi. Were you going somewhere?_ ” Asks Zari looking at the jacket that she had in her arms. 

“ _Hey, uhm… Yes_ ” She tries her best to behave as she would normally do.

“ _Where?_ ” Zari looks confused. “ _We just came back from a mission and you want to leave already?_ ” 

“ _I don’t know, I was bored I guess._ ” 

“ _Okay._ ” Zari doesn’t look very convinced by that answer. “ _I just came here cause I need to tell you something, can we talk or…?_ ”

Charlie would love to say that she can’t right now but at the same time she doesn’t want to lie to her, so she agrees and lets her come into her room. 

“ _Woah, your room is so different to what I imagined_ ” She says looking around the plain white walls and the minimalistic decoration. It’s incredibly tidy.

“ _What did you imagine, black walls and posters of some rock band just lying around?_ ” 

“ _To be honest, yes. That’s actually what I pictured._ ” Says Zari impressed “ _So… I came here to talk about…_ “ She looks uncomfortable. 

“ _The final outfit?_ ” Charlie freaked out and that’s the first thing she thought it would distract her to not talk about what she witnessed. 

“ _…the outfit, yes._ ” Zari didn’t expect at all that response and she actually forgot about the bet for a second. “ _I have two final options that would be perfect for you._ ” She can sense something’s changed between them. “ _And I’d like to know your opinion_ ” She tries to find Charlie’s eyes, but she’s too distracted to look at her too.

“ _Alright_ ” Charlie doesn’t really want to spend time right now with her but she can’t refuse either.  
They go to Zari’s room to get her portfolio and then they go to the costume room. They haven’t talked since they left Charlie’s room and they both feel really weird next to each other. They can sense something is off. 

“ _Gidget, can you scan these two designs and show them to us as virtual clothes?_ ”

“ _Sure_ ” Gideon uses the scan “ _Here you go Ms Tarazi_ ” And puts those two designs in the screen.

“ _What do you think?_ ” Says Zari looking at Charlie. 

“ _You’ve designed this?_ ” Charlie is very impressed.

“ _Yeah, pretty cool, uh?_ ”

“ _I actually don’t hate them as much I thought I would._ ” Charlie looks at her. 

“ _Yeah, I went easy on you. I thought that losing the bet and being in a not-that-awful outfit was punishment enough_ ” She says teasing her a little bit trying to make that weird vibe between them go away. 

“ _Hey! Are you calling me weak?_ ” Charlie says fake-offended.

“ _I don’t know, am I?_ ” And Zari smiles at her mischievously.   
Seeing that smile makes Charlie happy for an instant and makes her forget the kiss.


	11. The Bet (Part 2) - The Moment Has Come

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zari starts to do Charlie's makeover and she tells her about the kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The day has come hehe. Chapter 11!
> 
> I'm very excited about this one. I hope you like it. 
> 
> ❤️

Charlie picks the first outfit and in less than 5 minutes she’s is already trying it on. The atmosphere is still tense between them, but as time goes on, everything appears to go back to normal.

  
“ _Woah, it is more uncomfortable than I imagined._ ” 

Zari turns around and looks at her. 

“ _Wow, you look amazing_ ” She looks at her from head to toes for a minute mesmerized. “ _Okay, now we need to add heels, a few accessories, put some makeup on and do your hair._ ”

“ _How do you breath in these things? It’s super-tight in here_. ” Charlie complains.

“ _C’mon, you’re exaggerating. It’s tight cause it’s supposed to highlight your curves._ ” Zari explains “ _Put that leopard-pattered fur jacket you’ve got in that chair and here are the shoes you need to wear_ ” Zari gives her the black shoes. 

“ _Are you planning on killing me or something?_ ” Says Charlie pointing at the heels “ _If I fall on these things, I’ll break my ankle._ ” 

“ _Oh c’mon, stop complaining and put them on. Plus, aren’t you like a rule-breaker or something?_ ” 

“ _Yes, I’m a rule-breaker, not an ankle-breaker_ ” Charlie exclaims.

Zari laughs.

“ _Well, in case that happens, you can always shapeshift to heal the broken bones, right? Problem fixed_ ” 

Charlie looks at her funnily and bites her lips.

After they argue about how Charlie should wear her hair and at the end, they decide to let it down. Now it’s time for the makeup and the accessories. 

“ _Okay, so with the outfit that you chose, I would wear gold earrings, like these hoops. Pretty simple but we want to keep it classy up here._ ” Says Zari pointing at her face and giving the earrings to Charlie. “ _And now the makeup._ ” And Zari stands up and grabs her makeup trolley. 

“ _You’re enjoying this, aren’t you? Dressing me up like a doll and painting my face._ ” Says Charlie. 

“ _Yep, pretty much_. ” Says with a sneaky smile “ _I never really get to do this, you know? I just design the outfits, and then everyone just takes care of the rest. And I never had the chance to do makeovers like this when I was a teenager to any of my friends either, cause they were famous too. Hence, they already had everything chosen for them._ ”

They both stay in silence while Zari prepares the makeup. 

“ _Ready?_ ” She says with the face palette in her hands.  
Charlie nods. When the brush touches her skin, she feels the softness of Zari’s touch and her breathing stops for a second. Then she makes her eyes and eyebrows. Neither of them says a word, Zari is very focused, and Charlie doesn’t dare to ruin such an intimate moment between them. To paint her lips, Zari gets closer to Charlie’s face, and her breathing accelerates. 

“ _Stay still, please._ ” 

Charlie is getting very uncomfortable having Zari so close. She looks at her eyes and sees how perfectionist she is, but she suddenly stops. 

“ _Charlie, I need to talk to you about something you saw earlier_ ” Zari is scared and nervous.

“ _What?_ ” She knows exactly what she’s referring to, and she really doesn’t want to do this now either, but it doesn’t look like she can escape as she did before.

“ _I saw you walking down the hallway when I was with Nate. I know you saw… the…kiss_ ” Zari has never felt so uncomfortable and awkward right now. 

“ _Oh, that. You don’t have to worry about it. I won’t say anything if you want to keep the relationship secret for now._ ” 

“ _What? No, that’s not what I was going to tell you._ ” Zari gets more and more nervous. “ _Nate kissed me but I… it wasn’t… I don’t like him, like that. I mean he’s a great guy but I could never…I mean…I just don’t think about him that way._ ”

Charlie’s shocked, and she doesn’t know how to respond. She can’t believe it. 

“ _Oh, cool. I mean, not cool for Nate but you know, you have to… listen to your heart or whatever._ ” 

“ _Yeah, it’s just… I don’t know why, but I felt like I needed to tell you. Like, I needed you to know._ ” 

They both stay silent for a while with their heads down.

“ _Anyways, we’re done now. You can look in the mirror._ ” Zari finally says.

Charlie stands up and walks towards the mirror. 

“ _Oh, God._ ” Says Charlie horrified even though she’s weirdly pleased with the result. 

“ _C’mon, you look fantastic!_ ” Says Zari trying to convince her. “ _I know it’s not really your style, but you have to admit you look hot girl_ ” She looks down to hide the redness in her cheeks. It slipped out.

“ _Yeah, it’s not what I would wear, like ever, but I do look good._ ” Charlie can’t stop looking at herself impressed and bewildered at the same time.

“ _Wait, are you saying you like it?_ ” Says Zari surprised.

“ _Well…I don’t hate it a lot._ ” 

And Zari smiles. She’s so happy right now. “ _I knew you’d like it. Not to brag but my taste in these things are impeccable. C’mon, let’s show everyone how great you look_ ”

And without thinking Zari grabs Charlie by the arm proudly and they both get out of the fabrication room. 


	12. White Lie - The Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara finally wakes up from her coma.  
> Nate and Zari have a talk (yikes)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 12 before tonight's episode!
> 
> Yet another SteelHacker "scene" cause I love drama even though I think this one was necessary. 
> 
> But guys tomorrow...Chapter 13... OMG. You'll see.
> 
> See ya tomorrow,
> 
> ❤️

When they arrive at the bridge, they find Nate and Behrad talking in the Captain's Office and Mick chilling in an armchair drinking a beer. 

" _Hey everyone_ ," Zari says, clapping her hands " _Please admire the new Charlie!_ " 

Nate and Behrad turn around and look at them. 

" _Wow. That is…wow"_ Says Nate. _"You look good._ "

Behrad is astonished, he can't even speak. 

" _Right?! What do you think, Behrad?_ " Says Zari.

" _Uuh…Charlie, you're… beautiful_ ". He might have a little crush on Charlie too.

" _Thank you,_ " Says Charlie uncomfortably and turns around to talk to Zari " _Can I change now?_ "

" _What? You want to change already? I thought you were going to keep it all day._ " 

" _I never said that_ "

" _C'mon, please. Just for the rest of the day._ " Begs Zari with her puppy-eyes.

" _Bloody hell_ " Charlie can't say no to  _ that _ face.

Zari smiles. " _Thanks._ "

Now, Ava, John and Sara enter the bridge. 

" _Sara! …why are you blindfolded?_ " Zari asks. 

" _She can't see,_ " Ava says worriedly. " _We don't know why or what caused it but she's blind._ "

Everyone's surprised by this news. 

" _Guys, don't worry, please, I'm okay. We just need to find a solution_ " Says Sara trying to cheer up the team.

" _Atropos,_ " Says Charlie thinking " _It was her_ "

Ava turns to Sara " _Babe, what is she talking about?_ " 

" _Emm,…when I fought Atropos, she may have tried to kill me._ " Confessed Sara.

" _What? Why am I hearing about this now?_ " Ava is now more concerned.

" _I thought it was nothing babe, and I didn't want to worry you._ "

" _Okay so how do we fix this?_ " Ava asks Charlie.

" _I don't know. This has never happened. I didn't even think it was possible_. "

" _Great, so we have nothing._ " Says Ava ironically " _And what are you wearing by the way?_ " She takes a more focused look in Charlie's clothes.

" _It's one of my newest designs for the Z-Fall Collection. Doesn't she look great?_ " Says Zari.

" _Sure,_ " Says Ava a little bit confused. " _Anyways, we should hit the library and investigate whatever we can about...the situation._ "

Ava, Sara, Charlie and John head out to the library. 

" _Hey Zari, can we talk for a moment?_ " Says Nate.

Zari had totally forgotten about Nate. She has had eyes only for Charlie, and she didn't care about anyone or anything else in that moment.

" _Yes, of course._ " 

They head out the bridge to trying to find some kind of privacy. 

" _So… You kind of ran off after we kissed_ " 

They stop walking.

" _Yes, I did. And I'm sorry about that, but I just had to…do something._ "

" _What? Charlie's makeover?_ " Says Nate not understanding what could have been more important to just leave after their kiss. He's pretty upset about it. 

" _Uhmmm… No… Just…Stuff. Anyways, it doesn't matter, everything's fine._ " She has to tell him, but how?

" _Okay_ " He doesn't buy it " _So...where does that leave us? _" 

" _Nate, I… You're a great guy. You're so sweet, caring and funny… but I just… I don't think I'm ready to… be in a relationship right now_ " She lies. " _It has been complicated for me to process all the time-travelling thing. And then my brother died, and there's also the fact that I kind have this 'döppelganger' from another timeline living in my mind. I just need to figure out where my head is right now before I can, like, invest in a relationship. I'm sorry, I hope you can understand._ "

" _Oh, yes, of course._ " He didn't think of that. " _You're right. You have so much going on and now to make it worse I come here pressuring you with our relationship and all. I totally get it. I'm sorry._ "

" _Thanks, Nate,_ " Says Zari with kind eyes " _Are we cool?_ " She feels awful for him.

" _Coolio. So…friends?_ " Nate smiles.

" _Always_ " 

And they hug. 

After the talk with Nate, Zari goes to her room. She still feels bad for lying to him, that was the best way to let him down easy, right?. 

A white lie can never hurt anyone, right?


	13. Snack Break - The Task Failed Successfully

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No chapter summary today. I think it's better this way. You'll see.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had SO much fun writing Chapter 13!
> 
> I hope you like it. 
> 
> Cultural reset (kind of) after yesterday's disappointing episode cause they weren't any Zarlie interactions only 2 looks. TWO. And they were shorter than a second. 
> 
> And now I'm going to rant for a little bit in the "end notes" section. Feel free to not read it.
> 
> By the way, I'm running out of ideas about how to continue this story sooo... We'll see what happens.

** Charlie's POV **

After trying to find an answer to Sara's blindness, they decide to give themselves a break. They've been hours in the library trying to a solution, but they haven't found anything yet.

Charlie is getting frustrated and tired, so she decides to take a break and go to the dining room to get a snack. There, she finds Zari, making something in the kitchen table. 

" _Hey Z, what are you doing?_ " 

She suddenly turns around and tries to hide something behind her. " _Hiiii, what are you doing here?_ " And she smiles. " _I thought you were locked in the library._ "

" _I was just here to eat something. It's a little bit rough there so I thought taking a break would be good._ " 

" _Oh sorry to hear that. I'm sure you'll figure it out_. " She says nervously.

" _Yeah. What do you have there?_ " Charlie tries to see what Zari has behind her, but she just keeps moving.

" _Nothing! It's just—_ "At the end, she gives up. 

" _Is that a cake?_ " Charlie is amazed and confused. " _Did you just make it?_ "

" _Yeaah, kinda_ " Zari looks at it disappointed. " _But it's bad, like, very bad. I thought that I could make it like the one that we saw in that bakery and Gidget gave me the recipe and everything, but it looks nothing like the original._ " She says disappointed " _I just thought it would be a good idea to make it myself instead of the machine cause, you know, natural food is better than machine-food. But as you can see, it was a terrible idea. I should've gone with the machine-cake._ "

" _No, I think it's amazing._ " Zari looks at Charlie, confused " _Sure, it looks nothing like the other one, but that doesn't mean it isn't good._ "

Zari smiles shyly. " _Thanks_ "

" _So, is it done? Can we eat it?_ " 

" _Technically yes, but... you sure want to eat it? You don't have to, you know?_ "

" _Of course I want to eat it! C'mon, Z. Have a little faith in your inner baker!_ " And Charlie punches Zari in the arm softly.

" _Fine_ " 

They sit down, and they cut two pieces of cake. Zari is very nervous. At this point, she only wants the cake to be edible.

Charlie notices her and reaches for her hand to calm her down. " _Hey, relax. It'll be good. And if it's not, it's okay too._ "

" _Okay_ " Zari just nods insecurely. 

Charlie is the first to try it. 

" _Mmm… Z! This cake is amazing!_ " She says with her mouth full.

" _Really?_ " Zari looks at her distrustfully. 

" _Yeah!_ " Charlie takes another bite.

" _Okay_ " Zari tries it " _Oh God, it IS good!_ " She says with surprise.

" _It isn't just good. It's amazing_ " Charlie praises her while she devours it. 

They continue eating the cake until there are just two pieces left.

" _There are only two pieces left._ " Says Charlie looking at them with desire.

" _But I'm already full._ " Says Zari complaining.

" _Yeah, me too, I'm so full. We shouldn't eat them_ " 

" _I agree. We definitely shouldn't eat them._ "

They look at each other, knowing that they are going to end up eating those two pieces and they burst out laughing. They both take one, and they start eating them in silence.

" _Hey, can I ask you something?_ " Charlie looks at her.

" _Sure_ "

" _Why did you make it? I thought you were against eating carbs, and you had to 'follow that diet'._ "

" _Yeah, I don't know. I guess I felt like it. And I also felt pretty bad for making you dress like that_ " She looks at Charlie's outfit.

" _Well, I'll take your pity cake whenever I can._ " Says Charlie. 

They both get up and clean their plates. 

" _Told ya: doing bad things sometimes is good._ " 

" _You're a bad influence on me, you know that? Now I'm eating half a cake. Next week, who knows? Maybe I end up dead in a random alley._ " 

Zari leans with her back in the counter. And Charlie grabs the cloth to dry her hands.

" _Like I would let that happen, Luv_. " Charlie said without thinking. And she leans with her back in the counter next to Zari.

Zari looks at her, surprised and smiles. " _I knew you cared about me._ "

Charlie leans towards her. " _I never said I didn't_ " 

They are face to face inches to each other, but no one dares to move. Charlie can't help herself and looks at Zari's lips. Her pulse is accelerating. They look soft and comfortable. She could kiss her right now. They are just a few inches away. Just a few--

" _Hey, Charlie. What is taking so long, we're waiting for you...?_ " Nate enters the room and stops when he sees them. He is perplexed right now.

They both step back and look away. 

" _Oh, yes, I'm coming. Sorry_ " Looks at Zari one last time, and she leaves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RANT:  
> I feel like they're copying Zarlie's S04 interactions to make Astra/Charlie a thing. To be honest, I like them together and they do have potential, but please, do not copy Zarlie's vibe cause no, you'll never get there. And I can't enjoy Astra/Charlie if I'm constantly reminded of how you (the LoT writers) screwed Zarlie up. 
> 
> Anyways, I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed. (ngl, I AM mad AND disappointed)
> 
> Thx for listening (reading?)


	14. Think - Lie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nate realizes that Zari likes someone else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 14!
> 
> I'm seriously loving writing this fanfic. Like, who knew? 
> 
> I know I suck right now but I intend to get better and I'm already thinking of the next one cause this one is coming to an end soon. 
> 
> IDK if I'll be able to upload one tomorrow cause I kinda don't know how to continue, but we'll see.
> 
> Stay safe ❤️

** Zari's POV **

" _I understand now._ " Nate walks towards Zari. " _It's not that you don't want a relationship right now, is that you don't want a relationship with me._ "

" _Nate I-_ " Zari feels like she can't breathe right now.

" _You like Charlie_. " 

" _What? I... I just..._ " She doesn't know what to say, she can feel the tears forming in her eyes.

" _Don't lie to me Zari. I just saw you. I saw the way you looked at her. God, I'm so stupid._ "

" _Nate, you're not stupid. It's...just...complicated._ "

" _I took you for granted. I thought that just because the other Zari loved me, you would too, but I should've realized before that you're not her._ "

" _I'm sorry, I swear, I never meant to hurt you._ " A tear falls off Zari's face. This is precisely what she didn't want.

" _Well... it's a little bit too late for that, don't you think? But don't worry, I'll get over it. I always do._ " A tear falls off Nate's face too, and he leaves.

" _Nate, wait. I'm really sorry, please._ " But he keeps walking.

Zari stays there, in the kitchen, without moving. It's the first time she has admitted her feelings for Charlie, but in the process, she hurt someone she really cared about. She feels the walls are coming closer and closer and closer. She wants to scream or punch something right now. She leaves the kitchen and starts walking desperately and breathing heavily without nowhere to go. She just wants to leave and forget everything. 

" _Hey, are you okay?_ " She stumbles down Ava.

" _No... I... can't...I... I-_ "

" _Okay, Zari relax. Breathe in and out. Again, in and out_ " Ava calms her down " _Let's get you to rest_ " and she takes her to Zari's room.

" _What happened?_ " She says with a worried face.

" _I screwed up, Ava. A lot._ " She's distraught.

" _What?_ "

" _Nate kissed me, and I ran off._ " She starts to explain. " _Then, when he asked why I did that, I lied to him in his face. And after he found out._ "

" _Oh. What did you tell him?_ " Says Ava with curiosity.

" _That I had to do something very important and it couldn't wait._ "

" _Ouch..._ " She grimaces. 

" _And then when he asked about us, I told him that I didn't want a relationship at that moment, and I wanted to focus on myself. But I just didn't want to hurt him._ "

" _Look Zari, you had a good intention, but you have to understand that no one likes being lied to, even if the truth is worse than the lie._ "

" _I know it's just... It's been so hard lately with him cause he kept asking me to hang out together and I rejected him every time but then when I did I panicked, and I made it all worse._ "

" _Yeah, you've kinda been distant with him lately._ " 

" _You noticed?_ " She looks at her, confused.

" _Honey, I think we all did._ " She feels bad for Zari. " _Do you want to talk about it?_ "

" _What's there to talk about? I'm just a horrible person._ " 

" _No, you're not. You can't blame yourself for not liking someone. It's not like we choose the people we fall in love with._ "

" _Well, I wish we could._ " She looks down pensive. 

" _Charlie?_ " Ava guesses, even though she was pretty sure of the assumption.

Zari looks at Ava suddenly. " _What?_ " But she heard her.

" _Is Charlie the one who's in your mind?_ "

She looks away. " _Maybe. How did you know?_ "

" _Cause I have eyes and I've seen the way you interact with her and the way you get jumpy when she accidentally grazes you. And also you're not very subtle when you look at her._ "

She can't help it and smiles. " _Damn it._ " She knew she wasn't great at hiding it, but not  _ that _ much. 

" _As much as I'd like to stay with you, I have to go back to the library_ " She gets up. 

" _Do you need any help with the research?_ " 

" _No, it's fine. You should rest for a little bit._ " They hug.

And when she's about to leave, she turns around.

" _Just don't overthink too much about Nate, it'll get better. And with Charlie just... Take your time to figure things out._ " 


	15. The Secret Library - Talk To Me, Please?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a few days, Zari has been avoiding Charlie but now, they have to go on a mission together again. (with Constantine)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 15!
> 
> I don't know how I made it this far, but here you have the new chapter. I can't believe I was able to upload this fanfic daily. Ngl, it was hard, but I feel great. 
> 
> I'm kinda sad that this story is ending tho. 
> 
> See you tomorrow and if you've made it this far, I love you. Thanks for reading and being patient and understanding cause this fanfic is far from great. 
> 
> Lots of love for you and stay safe  
> ❤️

It's been almost a week since Zari last spoke to Charlie. She has been trying to avoid her all week, and it has been hard because at the same time she misses her too.  
Now that she knows she likes Charlie, she's too scared to talk to her since their last conversation because these feelings are so new that she still doesn't know how to manage them yet.   
But, to be fair, the legends have been busy lately going to different places at different times trying to find out an explanation to Sara's sight and her powers so...

" _Team meeting in 10 minutes._ " Says Sara using the intercom.

Zari is in her room when she hears the message. It's 9 am in the morning, and she's already tired. She leaves the room and goes to the bridge.

When they're all there, Sara explains the new mission where they have to go. 

" _Okay, so we'll split into two teams to cover more ground. Mick, Nate and Behrad will go to New York to steal the compass and Zari, Charlie and Constantine can retrieve the Elder Book in this girl's house: Nancy West. I'll stay here with Ava to help you with whatever we can._ "

Zari's pulse stops for a second. She's going on a mission with Charlie again.

When they are ready to go, they open a portal to 1955 in a city called Haleburg. They start walking to Nancy's house, and when they arrive there, they find out that it's empty.

" _Should we wait till she arrives or...?_ " Zari asks.

" _I say we break in, search for the book and get out of here._ " Says Charlie without looking at her.

" _Aye_ ," Says John and does a spell to open the door.

The house is small but spacious. It's immaculate even though it looks old. As soon as they enter, they start looking. John goes to the bedroom because he sees a rare artefact in the nightstand and Zari and Charlie stay in the living room searching for the book.

No one says anything for a while, but suddenly they hear someone trying to unlock the door. They can't find any hiding spot, but at that moment Zari accidentally touches a sculpture in the bookshelf revelling a secret corridor, and they go in.  
They stay quiet for a bit while they look around that secret room. It's a hidden library to hide magical books. They are in the right place.

" _Hey Zari, I think I found the book_ " Charlie whispers. 

" _Nice, now let's get out of here._ "

Suddenly they hear a scream. It's Nancy, the owner of the house. She must've found John. After a while, they hear Sara talking in their earpieces. 

" Z _ari, Charlie, are you still in there?_ "

" _Yes, and we have the book. I think Nancy found John and kicked him out_ " Says Zari.

" _Yeah, he told us, he's in the Waverider. Where are you?_ "

" _In a secret library hidden._ " 

" _Okay, when the others are back we'll send them to help you until now, sit tight._ "

Sara disconnects the earpiece.

" _Great, so we're trapped here._ " Charlie says ironically.

They stay quiet for a while, sitting on the floor. The ambient is tense, and it's uncomfortable for both of them.

" _So... what's up?_ " Zari says, breaking the silence and trying to initiate a conversation.

" _What's up?_ " Charlie repeats, looking at her, all confused.

" _Yeah, like... What are you up to these days?_ " Zari immediately regrets saying that. She sounded so weird.

" _Mhmm..., Investigating the fates and basically doing the same as you cause if you haven't noticed we have a mission in common._ " Charlie says, sounding upset.

" _Okay, whatever. I was just trying to make conversation since we're trapped together_ " Zari says hurt. " _And we have literally nothing better to do, but if you prefer to stay here in silence, we can do that too._ "

" _Now you want to talk?_ " Charlie raises one eyebrow.

" _What's that supposed to mean?_ " She says offended.

Charlie sighs " _Forget it_ " She stands up and starts walking around the room.

Zari decides to stand up as well. " _Hey. Are you mad or something?_ "

" _I said forget it_ , " Charlie says, walking in circles. She's more upset than before. 

Zari wants to fix this situation. She hates being like this with Charlie, but what can she do? Tell her she likes her? Tell her that the reason why she has been harsh is that she's falling for her?

" _Charlie, I-_ " But she can't finish the sentence, she doesn't know how. 

They stay in silence for a while. 

" _I don't want to be like this with you,_ " Says Zari. " _Can we talk it out and fix this?_ "

Charlie turns around and looks at her. " _Fix this?_ "

" _Our relationship,_ " Zari admits. " _I know you can feel it too. It has a weird vibe, and it's uncomfortable._ " Zari gives a step towards Charlie. " _Can we just rewind, go back to...normal?_ "

She stays silent for a few seconds. " _No_ " And Charlie continues walking in circles.

" _No?_ " Now is Zari who is getting upset. " _Why not?_ "

" _Cause.._." Charlie stops talking and grunts. " _I can't._ "

" _Excuse me? You can't?_ " She doesn't understand anything. Charlie doesn't want to be her friend anymore? 

" _Just forget it, okay? It's stupid._ " 

" _No sir, how do you want me to just 'forget it'? I'm sorry for avoiding you this past week, okay? It wasn't your fault, it's just..._ " She takes a big breath to continue the sentence, but she isn't brave enough to say that she has feelings for her, so she just goes silent for a second." _I understand if you're mad and I'm sorry, but I think you're overreacting._ " She follows her with her sight while she waits for a response, but it doesn't look like it's coming any sooner. 

" _Charlie, are you even listening to me?_ " She's getting furious. 

But Charlie just nods with her head without being able to formulate a sound.

" _Why are you being like this?_ "

Charlie is getting more and more nervous and walks faster. She still doesn't answer. 

" _Charlie!_ " Zari raises her voice. 

" _Cause I can't take it anymore, okay! You're confusing me all the time. And for some bloody reason, you're just stuck in my head, and you won't leave me alone. I was never the 'get hung up on a girl' kind of person, but it's just... with you... You drive me crazy, and at the same time, the only thing I can think about is kissing you._ " She can't believe she said that. She just did, she finally exploded.

Zari looks at her, shocked. " _What?_ " She can't formulate any more words.

" _Bollocks!_ " Charlie gripes. She doesn't dare to look at Zari and starts walking again. 

Zari, without thinking, grabs Charlie by the arm, puts her hands around her neck and kisses her. She can tell that she didn't expect it at all, and to be honest, neither did she. She just listened to those words, and as an impulsive reaction, she kissed her. 

Her lips are soft and delicate, like cotton candy, and her skin is so smooth. They pull a few inches away, both of them are breathing heavily. Zari sees Charlie's face, she's still confused about what just happened which makes Zari smile and consequently Charlie does that too. 

" _Charlie, Zari, Nate and Behrad are there, you can get out now._ "


	16. After The Mission - Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the final chapter is here!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this fanfic, it is the first one I've ever written so I really thought no one was going to read it.
> 
> Anyways, thank you all, I love you.

** Charlie's POV **

They're back in the ship now, and Charlie is still in shock. Did that happen, or was she daydreaming? She's unable to think about anything else. What is going to happen next? 

Charlie needs to talk to Zari, but at the same time, she doesn't want to pressure her. What if she regrets their kiss? What if she got her scared? 

A lot of thoughts are coming to Charlie's mind as well as she relives the kiss.

*knock knock*

She hears someone knocking, which takes her out of her thoughts. And the door opens.

" _Hey_ " It's Zari. Oh my God, what is she doing here? She starts to freak out internally.

" _Hey._ " She says shyly.

Zari doesn't move, and neither does she. " _Can I come in?_ "

" _Sure_ " She enters the room and sits next to her. Neither of them dares to say a word. Charlie glances at Zari from time to time, and she does the same. 

" _So... it was an interesting mission._ " Zari says, looking cautiously at her. 

Charlie smiles and looks at her too. " _I guess you could say that._ "

And they start laughing.

Zari leans towards Charlie just a little bit trying not to scare her and Charlie follows her lead, and they kiss again. This one is more intense, both of them have needed each other's touch and they are aware of every movement. They desire each other. But before letting things escalate in the bed, Charlie pulls away to breathe.

" _Damn Z, that was..._ " She's still trying to catch up her breath.

" _Breath-taking? I know, that's the natural effect I have on people._ " Says Zari bragging, which makes Charlie laugh. 

" _Yeah, you're pretty cool,_ " Says Charlie and gives her a quick kiss. " _But I'm cooler._ " And winks at her.

" _Aw, you poor innocent, you think you're cooler than me._ " Says Zari making a fake-sad face.

" _Shut up_ " And Charlie kisses her again with her biggest smile. 

After messing around for a few more minutes, Zari puts her head on Charlie's chest and has her arm around her body.

" _I can't believe this is actually happening._ " Charlie says, smiling.

" _What? Us?_ " Zari looks at her.

" _Yeah. You've had me confused for a long time, you know?_ "

" _Really?_ " She says, disconcerted.

" _Yeah, you were sending me all these confusing signs, and then you wanted to talk about other guys._ "

" _You're the one to complain! Your advice was to quote-unquote shag them all, how was I supposed to know you liked me?_ " 

" _Yeah, it was a bad choice of words_ " And Charlie hugs her stronger, and they both laugh again. 

" _I guess we both made bad decisions. But they did take us here eventually so..._ " Says Zari.

" _No regrets_ " Charlie looks at her fondly. 

Zari closes her eyes and lets herself feel Charlie's heartbeat. She loves to feel her close, to finally touch her and kiss her. It's the best feeling she has ever had. And at that moment something clicks in her. 'I guess that's how love feels like'.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me here:
> 
> TUMBLR: https://username-in-drafts.tumblr.com
> 
> YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW-5dfA3GmDGNp1D7pCPlUA


End file.
